


Survivor

by Brianda94



Series: Spencer & Allison [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-23 19:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14940317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brianda94/pseuds/Brianda94
Summary: How to be a survivor? Bruises and wounds get healed, but they leave scars than go farther than marks on your body. Allison Monroe has to face the aftermath of a kidnapping and the obstacles that goes on her way. But maybe books, songs and long conversations with the kind and wonderful Dr. Spencer Reid can help her to recover and move on.





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t weird for the FBI agent to work at night. But it was strange for them to work in Virginia. They had been a week after an unsub whose sadism was inflict pain to young women between 18 and 24 years old to bury them afterwards, unconscious but alive. However, he didn’t abused them sexually.

They could track down the last place where the unsub had been although they didn’t have a name or face to that unsub, which made really difficult to reach the murderer and save the lives of those women he chose as victims. A patron found in the victims, that were 7 at that moment, was that thy were small in complexion and orphans. They thought that he chose women that were already adults because they weren’t under government watch, but they were young enough for his fantasy.

Inside the house were Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi and Emily Prentiss while Derek Morgan and Spencer Reid were in the garden.

"I doubt we’ll find something" Morgan commented while they pushed away bushes and they illuminated the terrain with their lanterns.

Dr. Reid, the youngest of the unit but the most intelligent, bit his lip with the hope of finding a clue somehow to find the last missing girl, Allison Monroe of 21.

"It would be easier if we had come this morning".

Morgan, who loved to laugh at him, turned to him and smiled "Is it because of the darkness?".

"Shut up".

Hotch picked out from the porch and illuminated the pair of agents "nothing here, let’s go back".

Morgan and Reid turned to leave the garden but Reid stopped dead in his tracks "Morgan, don’t move".

"What?".

"Shhh" Reid put his finger over his own lips.

They stood quiet, in complete silence, but Morgan didn’t heard a thing. Reid crouched on the ground and put his hand over the ground. He hadn’t scratched for too long when he found a hard surface.

"There’s something here" Reid said to Morgan while he started to unearth whatever it was.

Morgan crouched too and then heard a small noise, almost an inaudible ‘knock, knock’ that came from that box.

"Shit…" Morgan mumbled helping Reid.

When they had put away enough ground, Morgan took the top of the box and pulled, taking it away. Inside there was a girl almost unconscious that hardly breathed.

"Hold in Miss Monroe" Reid said sliding his arm under the girl’s shoulders, lifting her slowly.

Morgan took his phone to call an ambulance while Reid got her to sit up, but she could not stand on her own, so he kept holding her by the shoulders with his arm.

"She hardly breaths…" he commented for himself "can you heard me Miss Monroe? If you do, squeeze my hand".

Reid took one of her hands and felt a little squeeze "I’m going to press your chest up and you’re going to try and take a breath, okay?"

The young woman squeezed his hand before Reid put his other hand under the sternum of the girl.

"One, two, three".

The doctor pressed up while she opened her mouth. Thanks to the movement of Reid, she took a deep breath and started to cough "try to breath with me" he whispered softly.

Morgan just stared at them, surprised that his friend had heard the desperate call for help and helped her to breath.

"That’s it, you are doing great" Reid kept talking with her.

The woman opened her eyes with effort and, having her head leaned on Reid’s arm, she looked up at him. Reid looked back at her and smiled a but seeing her hazel eyes.

"Thank you" Allison said softly with a broken voice.

They heard the sirens of the ambulance approaching fast. Both agents looked at the side of the garden where there were the rest of his coworkers and the ambulance was stopping. The woman closed her eyes again tired.

Not a minute later three sanitarians ran towards them with a stretcher and an oxygen cylinder, Hotchner had warned about the victim’s situation.

"Thanks to God you have made her breath" one of the sanitarians said while the other two put the girl carefully on the stretcher.

"It was the pretty boy" Morgan said once both of them were on his feet again.

"Good work".

Allison opened her eyes again and looked at the agents, if she had enough strength she had thank them but she felt how her body relaxed and her eyes closed. The antibiotics were kicking in.

Once the ambulance had went away, all the unit had reunited.

"What has happened?" Prentiss asked with curiosity.

"Here our resident genius has heard the taps of the girl in the box under us" Morgan took Reid’s shoulders from behind -if it wasn’t for him, Allison Monroe would have died.

"Great work Reid" Rossi congratulated him while they got on their cars.

The next day Hotchner and Rossi went to the hospital to make sure of the girl’s condition, to their surprise she was awake. They knocked on the door before entering and the girl looked up but was not scared. There was a wound in the left side of her forehead, her left cheek was bruised as well as the right side of her jaw, a wound healing in the middle of her lower lip. Her arms rested on her lap and showed some cuts. Agents did not need to see more of their injuries to know that her body was covered in bruises and cuts.

"Good morning Miss Monroe, we are agents Hotchner and Rossi of the FBI, how are you?" Hotch greeted.

"Allison, please" she tried to smile but the bruises on her face didn’t let her move her muscles that much "I’m a bit thirsty".

Rossi was fast and filled a glass with water that was in the table but, because of her condition, out of Allison’s reach. She tried to raise her arm but Rossi stopped her.

"Don’t worry".

He approached the glass to her lips and titled slowly while she drank.

"Thanks" she liked her lips while Rossi left the glass on the table.

Hotchner took two chairs and put them near of the bed.

"We need to ask you some things" he said with authoritative voice.

"Sure".

"What’s the last thing you remember before being kidnapped?"

"I…" she closed her eyes "I left the library and… I was going to the café where I work but, but I felt a hit…" she took her hand to her nape "and I woke up in that room…".

Her voice trembled a bit and her eyes filled with tears.

"Could you tell us how the man who attacked you is?"

Allison covered her face and shook her head, crying behind her hands. She said something but they couldn’t understand her so Rossi approached her carefully.

"Sweetie, we can’t understand you, I’m going to pull your hands away" Rossi took her hands softly and pull them away "could you repeat yourself, please?"

"He had a ski mask" she took a deep breath "but he had blue eyes".

"It was a white man?" Hotchner asked.

She nodded.

"And could you tell us if he was tall or corpulent?" Rossi asked.

"Well… I… I don’t know" some tears rolled down her face "I was tied up and on my k-knees".

"It’s okay" Rossi took one of her hands "calm down".

"It hurts" she whispered closing her eyes and leaning her head on the pillow.

"What hurts?".

"Everything…".

Hotchner left the room to call a nurse. He went back seconds later and both agents stood aside to let the nurse work. Once she was done, the nurse looked at them and smiled kindly.

"I have to ask you to leave to let her rest, I don’t even know how she could stay awake".

"Of course. If there’s any change, please call us- Hotchner gave a card to the nurse with his number".

They were going to leave when they heard Allison called them from the bed.

"What’s the name of the man who saved me?".

"Doctor Spencer Reid- Rossi answered".

"I would like to thank him…".

"Count on it. Now rest".

Allison nodded slightly before closing her eyes and sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

The unit celebrated a meeting to do the profile though they still had to do an interview with Allison Monroe, but they had to wait a few days to do so.

"How is she?" Reid asked Hotch and Rossi when the meeting had finished.

"She’s sedated, she has a lot of bruises and cuts" Hotch answered before leaving the room.

"She has asked for you" Rossi commented approaching the doctor.

"For me?"

"She asked for the man who found her. She wants to thank you".

"She doesn’t have to".

"You saved her life, I think it’s normal" he said clapping Reid’s shoulder before going to the door.

"Do you think" Rossi turned to look at him "I should go to see her?"

"I’m sure she would like it".

Two days later Reid found himself at the hospital doors, still doubting whether to visit the girl or not. It did not seem appropriate to cross the line between victim / work and something more personal. He did it once, and although he did not regret it, in the end he never heard from that girl with whom he shared passionate kisses in a pool.

He sighed and finally entered, after all, he knew what she had gone through. He asked at the counter and walked slowly down the hall until he heard screams and sobs. Quickly, two nurses ran past him and entered the room that belonged to Allison Monroe. He looked out the window of the room, seeing how they calmed her and administered her something, he supposed it was sedatives because she relaxed, but she did not sleep. He watched her for a moment before knocking. He didn’t step in, he stayed in the doorway waiting for her to look at him. When she did, he took a few timid steps into the room, his hands buried in the pockets of his pants.

"Hello Miss Monroe, I’m Doctor Spencer Reid".

The woman’s eyes lit up and the corner of her lips raised up slightly, the cut of her lip hurt too much to let her smile properly.

"Allison, please. Come in".

Reid approached and sat in a chair next to the bed.

"How are you?" he asked shyly.

"I’m better, at least I can go to the bathroom by myself and walk a bit".

"I’m really sorry". 

"If it wasn’t for you I would be dead, I don’t care about a few wounds, they will heal".

"But not all are physical" Allison looked up to look at him and sighed, but didn’t say a word "you can’t sleep, you do it when you are sedated".

"I…".

"Every time you close your eyes, you are there again".

Her chin started to tremble and her lips filled with tears.

"I can’t escape" she whispered letting the tears fall. She swallowed trying not to burst into sobs in front of the agent.

"You are safe, I promise you that no one is going to hurt you" he leaned forwards in his chair "it’s a very recent, it’s normal to have nightmares but I assure you that they will stop".

"How you know that?"

"I also was a victim of kidnapping and torture".

The girl breathed in surprised.

"Oh God, I’m really sorry…".

Reid shook his head with a small smile.

"Don’t worry".

"How did you move on?".

"You learn to deal with it day by day, it is a continuous struggle, until the nightmares stop and you don’t live with constant fear".

"It seems impossible" she mumbled looking at her hands.

Reid stared at her, seeing how she was fighting with herself to be calmed while she was scared.

"Do you want to know my trick?" she looked at him again "at the beginning at night I couldn’t distinguish what it was reality and what it wasn’t, I ... I was terrified of the darkness because I felt that I was captive again, but then I knew that I had to find something that would make me come back to reality. That's why I recited aloud a poem by the British author John Keats, Bright Star, that my mother recited when I was a kid. You have to find something that you don’t need to remember, that comes out alone, so that when you are confused or scared it helps you calm down".

Allison thought for a moment.

"Could I use a song?".

"Of course" he smiled.

"There’s a song that my mom always sang to me when she cooked. I loved it".

Reid knew that her parents had died in a traffic accident when she was 12 years old. Having no close relatives who could take care of her, she passed into the hands of the government. However, no one wanted to adopt or welcome a girl that age.

"Which song it is?".

"‘Your Song’ by Elthon John".

"And you can tell everybody this is your song…" Reid recited.

She smiled and continued the song:

"It may be quite simple but now that it’s done…":

The agent smiled brightly.

"I hope you don’t mind, I hope don’t mind…".

"that I put down in words…" she wiped out a tear and looked away, whispering the last lyrics "how wonderful life is, now you’re in the world".

Allison looked at him smiling.

"Thank you".

Reid just nodded. His phone started ringing and he got up to move to the other side of the room while she moved slowly on the bed to loosen the lower part of her back.

"I’m sorry" he apologized going back to her side "I have to go back, my unit want to ask you a few questions when you are better".

"Will you be there?".

That question surprised him but he nodded. He coughed and put his hair behind his ear before asking:

"Do you need anything more?".

"I would pay for a book" she laughed but shook her head "but I’m fine".

"A book?"

"I’ve just ended high school because it hasn’t been easy to pay books and material. And I would love to study literature but I don’t have money so I read. That’s why I visit the library as much as I can".

Reid bit his lip and opened his satchel, taking a book, offering it to her.

"The Great Gatsby…" she mumbled taking the book and admiring the cover.

"Have you read it?" he asked smiling, burying his hands in his pockets.

"To be honest, I haven’t".

"Then, I hope you enjoy it".

She looked up at him.

"Sorry?".

"Give it back to me when we see each other again".

Allison stared at him and let herself smile fully, making her cut to open, but she quickly licked the blood.

"Thank you so much, for everything".

"My pleasure, and remember what I’ve said".

"I will".

They smiled at each other and Reid left the room. The young woman settled on the bed and opened the book on the first page, sighing contentedly. For the first time since they found her, she felt at peace.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING!!

The unit added things to the profile thanks to the things Allison had said: White male, between 30-40 years old, not corpulent because of his choice of small women, blue eyes. His election of victims could be because of someone of his past hurt or humiliated him, that’s why he tortured them but didn’t abused them sexually. He was reserved and insecure because he didn’t trick his victims but attacked them so his social skills weren’t the best.

"We need to interview Allison Monroe as soon as she leaves the hospital" Prentiss suggested.

"The unsub hasn’t attacked again" commented J.J.

"He must know we’ve saved Monroe, which disturbs his plans" said Morgan.

"If that’s right, Monroe must have surveillance" Hotchner took his phone to call the hospital, walking away to talk.

"We'll have to put protection on her until we catch the unsub. The fact that he hasn’t completed his action will make him to get angry with the next victim or it will make him to not stop until he kills Allison" Rossi sighed.

Reid swallowed and stared at the pictured their coworkers had taken to Allison when she was in the hospital.

"Hey" Hotchner went back to the room "today they are discharging Monroe".

"Isn’t it too soon? She’s been there just a week" J.J. asked.

"She has asked for voluntary discharge and the doctor has given his approval. She will come this afternoon and I will ask a psychologist to assist us in case we need it, she will relive her trauma and she hasn’t received medical assistance in the psychological field".

"May I be present in the interview?".

All of the agents looked at the youngest with curiosity. Rossi was the only one who knew that he had gone to visit the victim so he smiled.

"Sure" Hotchner said without asking questions.

"Thanks".

"Why do you want to be present?" Morgan asked once they were returning to their tables.

"She asked me" he looked around to see that everyone was looking at him "I went to see her at the hospital a few days ago because she asked for me when Hotch and Rossi went to interview her. She asked me to be there because I told her about my kidnapping".

"You see yourself reflected in her" Prentiss commented.

"She’s brave. She tries not to let all affect her but it does. She’s scared and she doesn’t rest because of the nightmares. We talked and I suggested her to sing or recite something that made her feel safe".

"Like you with your poem?" Morgan asked.

"Yes. She has choosen ‘your song’ by Elton John".

"I like it" commented Penelope with a sweet smile.

"I hope it helps her".

"I’m sure it will Spence" J.J. smiled at her before going to her seat.

The girls dispersed, Morgan nevertheless continued to stare at his friend even though he didn’t notice.

Allison was escorted from the hospital to the FBI building. She knew nothing would happen, but she couldn’t help but be nervous. She had the book that Dr. Reid had given her between her hands, she had practically not released it, even after she had finished reading it. Huddled in the back of he car, all her wounds had healed and only scars remained while the bruises had turned yellow.

"Miss Monroe, we’ve arrived" said one of the agents, offering his hand when he had opened the door.

She took his hand shyly and muttered a 'thank you' before being escorted to the door. Her anxiety increased and her grip on the book was stronger, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Once they reached the floor, a blonde woman was waiting for them.

"Good afternoon Miss Monroe, I’m agent Jennifer Jerau" she offered her hand with a small smile.

"Hello" she replied shaking her hand.

The agent thanked their work to the agents and asked Allison to follow her.

"Agent Hotchner and Rossi will ask you a few questions, doctor Reid and agent Prentiss will be present. We have a professional in case you feel ... overwhelmed".

"A psychologist?".

"That’s right".

She nodded and they walked until a man made them stop. He was tall, black skin and smiled kindly.

"Hello Allison, I’m agent Morgan".

She squinted her eyes watching him until she remembered.

"You were in the garden with doctor Reid".

"Yes, it was me".

She smiled and nodded once.

"Thank you so much".

"It’s my job. I’m glad to see you are better".

"I’ve been taken care of really well at the hospital, although I’m dying to eat a hamburger".

Morgan laughed.

"Then I feel obliged to make you taste the burgers of a coffee shop near here. They are delicious".

Allison smiled. Derek nodded as a farewell and let them continue. J.J. knocked on the door and opened it, letting Allison step in front. Hotchner and Rossi got up while Reid and Prentiss remained seated.

"Thank you for coming this quick" Hotchner thanked shaking her hand.

She smiled and sat in front of them. Prentiss and Reid were at the sides of the table.

"I’m agent Prentiss, nice to meet you".

"Same".

"We are going to record this sesion, alright?".

Allison nodded.

"Before starting" J.J. talked from the doorway and looking at Allison "do you want something for drink? Water, coffee, tea?".

"I’m fine, thank you".

The blonde nodded and closed the door. Allison looked at Reid who smiled slightly.

"Everything will be alright".

"Let’s start" said Hotch gaining her attention.

"Allison" Rossi talked "in the hospital we asked you about the physical complexion of your kidnapper but, could you tell us something more?".

"He was thin but I don’t think he was tall. He’s not too strong because when he hit me, he didn’t leave me unconscious".

"Did he talk to you?" Prentiss asked.

The young woman thought for a moment.

"He asked me once to look at him because I didn’t want to when he was hitting me".

"How it was his voice?".

"I-I think he tried to make it deeper than it was".

"During your time there, did he give you food or water?" Hotch asked.

"He left me a plate with water on the side, I had to bend over to drink. As if it were an animal" she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Allison" Hotch continued "we want you to tell us as detailed as you could what happened. From the hit in your way to the cafeteria until doctor Reid found you".

She turned her head to looked for a second at Reid who was staring at her.

"I was going to work, the night shift that starts at 9 o'clock at night. The library closes at 8 so I had plenty of time to arrive, it's only 20 minutes walking. I was listening to music and he just hit me from behind. I ... I don’t know what it was with. I woke up tied to a post, made of wood, with bridles".

"How were you tied? Your hands were behind your back or in front of you?" Prentiss asked.

"In front of me. I was on my knees and like hugging the pole, that’s why I have all these wounds on my arms".

"Then he just hit you on your back and face?" Hotch asked.

"He just hit my back but he hit me on the face because I didn’t want to look at him".

"He likes to see the terror in his victims" Rossi murmured angry.

"When I woke up I tried to free myself" she said rubbing her wrists and looking lost somewhere on the table in front of her "I cut my wrists trying to escape. When he entered the room I ... I, I urinated on myself. I was so frightened…".

"What did he do?" Prentiss asked making Allison look at her.

"He stared at me, I don’t for how long. I asked him what he wanted, I begged him not to hurt me but he didn’t say anything, he didn’t react until I looked away, then he hit my back".

"What did he use?".

"It was a stick but it was not metal, it seemed ... Hard plastic".

"How many times did he hit you?" Hotch asked.

"Six" she swallowed "it stung a lot and he didn’t stop until I looked at him again. I understood that I didn’t have to look away and ended up leaving. And so day after day. He came back, sometimes with the water. I don’t know how many days I was down there" said that last part almost in a whisper.

"You were five days" said Rossi softly.

Allison looked up and breathed raggedly.

"Did he only hit you when you didn’t you at him?".

"Yes" her voice broke and some tears fell from her eyes "I knew I had to look at him but he approached more and more every time and, and I was scared. Scared that h-he rapped me or… K-killed me".

"Breath Allison, please" Prentiss said softly.

"Sorry" she whispered before taking a deep breath.

"Don’t apologize" Reid intervened from the first time "it’s not your fault".

The woman looked at him and squeezed the book that was on her lap.

"Allison, could you tell us how did he… bury you? It was because you did something or it just happened?" Hotch asked once again.

She looked at him.

" I ... That day he came down and I heard him come in but my body hurt, I was very tired. I couldn’t raise my head" her eyes were filled with tears "that was when he spoke to me and hit me in the face until, until I looked up" she covered her mouth to stop a sob.

"Did he pick you up and take you to the garden?".

The girl shook her head and leaned her elbows on the table, holding her head with her eyes down.

"He went away" she whispered "but he came back. C-came and kicked me on my ribs" she pressed her eyes tight, crying "I c-couldn’t breath and he picked me up. He threw me into the box inside the ground and… And s-tarted to…".

She started to scratch her face and Reid got up from his chair, approaching her.

"Allison, Allison listen to me…".

Hotch looked at the window where J.J. was ready to call a psychologist.

"You are save" Reid said avoiding touch her.

She sniffed and started to sing in a whisper:

"It’s a li-little bit f-funny, this f-feeling inside…" Reid sonrió levemente "I’m no-not one of those who can, easily hide…" the rest of the agents look at her surprised but Reid took his chair closer to her "I don’t have much money, but boy if I did…".

"I’d buy a house where we both could live" el doctor ended.

Allison wiped out her cheeks and looked at him, who asked:

"Can you keep going?".

She took a deep breath and looked at Hotch and Rossi.

"He closed the lid and threw the earth over very fast. I couldn’t move or ask for help, I could only cry and hit the lid. I don’t know how long I was buried until you found me".

"Very good Allison" Prentiss smiled.

"Thank you very much" Rossi stood up and offered his hand.

She smiled sadly and took his hand, noting an affectionate squeeze.

"Miss Monroe, you’ll have protection until we catch him. You don’t have residence, correct?".

"I sleep in the coffee shop ... My boss knows it's illegal but she's a good woman and she provides me with shelter and food".

"It doesn’t matter right now. You’ll stay in a government house".

"I don’t want to bother…".

"You don’t".

Hotchner and Allison stared at each other but she didn’t feel scared at all.

"Thank you sir" all of them stood up and Reid at last saw the book. She smiled and gave it to him "it’s a work of art, thanks for lend it to me".

"No worries".

"I have to ask you" Hotch called their attention "to stay here until we have the house and an agent for your protection. Reid, take her to the meeting room" the doctor nodded "and Allison, you’ve been very brave".

The corners of her lips rose in a grateful smile before leaving the room following Dr. Reid. The room was wide, with a round table in the center.

"Is it here where you meet to talk about the cases?".

"Yes".

They sat down, facing each other, but the door that the agent had closed, opened again. A blond woman with glasses poked her head out.

"Hello! Are you the lucky one who has made my chocolate god go for a hamburger?".

"I’m sorry?".

The woman stepped into the room smiling.

"My name is Penelope Garcia, oracle of computers. I was curious about you".

"Oh, I’m…".

"Allison Monroe, July 10, 1987. 1.60 in height. Good grades although math is not your strong point. History, art and literature with outstanding. From 1999 until 3 years ago you were in the Bakersfield orphanage. You've been working at the Woody’s coffee shop for two years" she smiled proudly of herself.

"Wow…".

"Derek has gone to get a hamburger for you".

"Derek?".

"Morgan" Reid said.

"Oh… He didn’t have to. Well, none of you".

"Don’t worry sweetheart" the cheerful agent exclaimed "our job is protect and take care of people. Gey used to it because we will take care of you and pamper you my dear Allison. Are you sure you want to stay here with our resident genius?".

Allison laughed and nodded, saying goodbye when Garcia left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Forgive her, she’s too enthusiastic sometimes".

"I like her, she’s like a cheerful hurricane".

"Yes, she is".

Allison smiled but stared at him.

"Can I ask you something?".

"Sure".

"You are really young to be a doctor. I mean, have a doctorate".

"Well, I have six. Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering and three in philosophy".

She opened her eyes really wide.

"But how old are you?".

"I’m going to turn 27 in a few months".

"So you are a genius, Dr. Reid".

Reid smiled shyly and tucked his hair behind his ear. The young woman observed that he did it when he was nervous.

"Well, that’s what they say. And called me Spencer please".

They stayed quiet for a few seconds until he asked:

"How are you feeling?".

The night after your visit I had nightmares again but when I woke up, instead of calling the nurses, I concentrated and sang, as you told me. Then I fell asleep and it was ... It was great. I don’t think I'll ever be able to show you my gratitude.

"You don’t have to2.

Allison bit her lip and tears appeared in her eyes.

"You don’t have idea what you’ve done for me".

Spencer watched her until a knock on the door distracted him. It was Morgan who was smiling, stepped into the room and left a wrapped package on the table in front of Allison.

"Thank you so much agent Morgan."

"No worries girl" he winked at her and turned to look at Reid "Hotch says you have the night off, that is, stay with our guest until they come to pick her up, that's why" he took another package of the bag he had with him "I’ve got you your dinner too".

"Thanks!".

"Enjoy yourselves!".

The agent left them alone again and opened their respective burgers, and drinks. Allison sighed after the first bite and Reid looked at her curiously.

"This is a delicacy of the gods after eating soups and jelly from the hospital for days".

He laughed and they ate in comfortable silence. Once they were finished, Allison crossed her arms on the table.

"May I ask how did you end up working for the BAU?".

Reid swallowed the last piece of his hamburger and cleared his throat, ready to delight her with his story.


	4. Chapter 4

Several days passed in which Allison barely left the apartment, just for buying or for a small walk in the park, always with the agent who had to protect her, Kevin. He was a nice man but quite reserved, so he was not into too much conversation. However, Spencer had dropped by on a couple of occasions, leaving her long talks to meditate on and books to enjoy. Literature was the topic they talked most about and the young agent loved that she paid attention to his ramble and all the facts that could have bored anyone. She knew that the rest of the team was asking about her, both through Reid and her guardian, and it reassured her that they showed interest. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much progress in the case. The profile was more complete and they had a few names, but without result. On the other hand, no girl had been kidnapped, which was good even though they feared that the unsub would try to reach Allison again.

It was already night and the team was preparing to return to their homes when Reid received a call. He picked up the phone surprised, and even more to see who was calling.

"Hi Allison".

"Spencer…" she said in a whisper, which made him be alert, standing up and calling the attention of Prentiss and Morgan.

"What’s wrong?".

"There’s… There’s someone in the house. I’m locked in the bathroom, inside the bathtub."

"Keep calm, is Kevin with you?".

"No, he ordered me to lock myself up here while he inspects outside".

"Alright, we’ll be there shortly. Don’t make a sound in any circumstance".

"Okay…".

Suddenly he heard a shot through the phone.

"Allison? Allison!".

The heavy breathing of the woman eased him a bit.

"Please, come" she mumbled almost sobbing.

"Be calmed and don’t move from where you are".

He hung up and ran to Hotch’s office, Morgan and Prentiss running behind him. Reid burst into the office without knocking.

"Hotch, he has entered Allison's house".

The head of the unit didn’t take long to get up, take his gun and leave the office with his agents behind. In the car they put on their bulletproof vests.

"How has he found her?" Morgan asked.

"I don’t know, but from now on she will be in the unit with us" Hotch answered stepping on the accelerator.

Reid couldn’t stop moving his legs and when they reached the street he practically jumped out of the car before they parked. The four agents ran up and, to their horror when they threw the front door down, they found Kevin dead with a bullet in the head next to the sofa. Reid ran to the bathroom, whose door was open and he feared the worst, however the bathtub was empty.

"Allison!? ALLISON!".

"She’s here!!" Morgan yelled.

Everyone gathered in the kitchen, the girl was huddled in the cupboard shaking. Derek bent down slowly to be face to face.

"Allison, I’m Derek Morgan, I’m going to take your arms".

As slowly as he had crouched, he moved to grab her from the arms around her knees. As soon as he pulled them away she threw herself into his body, wrapping her arms around the shoulders of the agent and hiding her face in his shoulder, crying uncontrollably. Morgan sighed and hugged her.

"It’s okay, you are safe now".

After a minute trying to calm down, she raised her face and looked at Hotch, Prentiss and Reid that looked at them worried.

"I’ve seen him…".

Hotch crouched in front of her and caressed her hair before saying:

"We have to go back now".

"Allison" Prentiss talked "are all your things in your room?"

"Yes…".

"Reid, help me to take her things".

But the youngest agent couldn’t move, he was staring at her and his hands were trembling.

"Reid?".

The girl looked up and pulled away from Morgan although he was still with his arms around her small body.

"I’m sorry I came out of the bathroom".

"I told you not to do it- Reid mumbled clenching his teeth".

"I had the chance to see him".

"But you could have died!".

Allison looked at the floor and whispered:

"Yes, but now I can help you to know who he is".

"It was really reckless".

"Reid" Hotch spoke up stopping him 2she doesn’t need this right now. Help Prentiss to take Allison’s things".

Once they had collected everything and Hotch had called the police for the removal of Kevin’s body, the four of them and Allison got in the car. Morgan went ahead with Hotchner while Prentiss and Reid followed with the girl. There had been so many emotions that she was exhausted and Prentiss let Allison rest her head in her lap. Despite her posture, she fell asleep. Reid stared at her and sighed taking her legs, placing them on his lap to make her be more comfortable.

"Are you okay?"

Reid looked at her friend.

"What?"

"You were really upset".

"She has put his life in danger".

"I think she was really brave, she has done it to give us the opportunity to identify him at last".

"And if it had gone wrong?"

"But she’s fine".

They looked at the girl who moved in her dreams.

Half-sleepy, they climbed into the elevator but, as if her batteries had recharged, Allison crossed through the halls to reach the meeting room. She knew they had several suspects, and she wanted to see if the aggressor was among them. Practically running she approached the panel full of photos. He was there. That face that she would never forget. The team, which Rossi and J.J. had joined in, stepped into the room and found her paralyzed in front of the photo.

"Is him?" Rossi asked.

She just could nod.

"Morgan, call Garcia. J.J., find pillows and blankets, Allison will stay here. I’m going to stay too, if someone wants to join us, welcome" Hotch ordered.

They all decided to stay in the unit that night, working to catch the unsub. J.J took Allison to a room where there was a sofa wide enough for her.

"I’m sorry I can’t offer you anything more" the agent apologized.

"No, it’s more than okay, don’t worry".

"Do you need anything else?".

"I… This is going to be inappropriate but, could you hug me?" Allison asked with tears in her eyes.

J.J. wrapped her arms around Allison without a doubt and didn’t let her go until it was Allison who pulled away, cleaning her tears.

"I’m sorry, it’s just that… I feel I’m going to explode and I needed something to keep me complete".

J.J. caressed her hair.

"Don’t apologize for needing comfort".

"Thank you very much".

Later Prentiss and Penelope joined them, having dinner together. Then Hotchner and Rossi went to check on her. The last one to visit was Morgan.

"Don’t worry girl, soon we’ll catch with that son of a bitch".

She smiled slightly.

"I wanted to apologize for having, um… Having threw myself to you".

"I don’t complain".

Allison laughed and covered herself with a blanket.

"Aren’t you going to sleep?".

"We’ll make turns, but we are working so…".

"I’m really sorry".

Morgan laughed.

"Don’t apologize. Now try to sleep" Morgan pinched her cheek before going to the door, almost getting hit by it because Reid opened it.

After saying goodbye to Morgan, Reid approached the couch where Allison was covering her lap with the blanket and not making real eye contact with the doctor. He sat in front of her on the floor, sighing.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t want to yell at you before".

"I had scared you it’s okay" she said looking up at him.

"When I haven’t see you in the bathtub, I… I feel responsible of you. Maybe it was because I was me who found you, but I can’t let anything harm you. I’ve seen too many victims die, too many innocents that we’ve lost because we didn’t reach them in time".

"It was my decision to get out, if… If I had died, it wouldn’t be your fault".

Reid sighed.

"How did get out of the bathroom without him seeing you?".

Allison took a deep breath to remember what had happened.

"After calling you I stayed in the bathtub but I heard that he was still in the house and that he was coming to the bathroom. I was afraid that he would try to throw the door down, so I opened the door a little bit, without making any noise and saw that he was getting into the rooms, so I crawled to the cupboard, where you found me. He looked at Kevin's body again and went out through the living room window that is right in front of the kitchen, that's why I could see him".

They were silent, looking at each other until Reid got up and picked up a cushion the girl was not using, leaving it on the floor. He lay down and rested his head on it, raising his head to look at her.

"Are you going to stay there?" she asked surprised.

"I’m of not use now, I’m going to making them nervous so I rather stay here while you sleep".

"Then share the couch with me, don’t sleep on the floor" she got to one of the extremes of the couch, leaving enough space "we’ll sleep sitting, and I’m not going to argue".

Reid got up and sat at the other side of the couch.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a whisper.

"No" she leaned her head on the back of the couch "and I don’t think I will be in a long time but it will not help if I break down. I also think it would be harder for me to get up again than to deal with it".

"And do you think you can bear it?".

"You tell me" she smiled turning her head to look at him "you are the profiler".

"You are incredibly tenacious and if your goal is not to let what is happening break you, it will not. But you are also very sensitive. When you read, you always do it from an emotional perspective, to understand all the characters, and that added to the fact that you are kind and good, probably because of the education based on the compassion and empathy that your parents instilled in you, makes you act many times without thinking, impulsively, because the last person you think about is yourself. You know you're smart but having lost your parents at such a crucial age as pre-adolescence made you lose your way and you don’t think you can go far despite your intelligence. You're brave, probably because you forced yourself to be brave when you were left alone, but because of your emotions, being brave and being reckless are separated by a blurry line. Answering your question, I don’t know. You are afraid to collapse and find yourself alone but even when this is over, you will still have my phone number".

Allison stared at him, speechless, assimilating how he had deciphered her despite her efforts to pretend security and control.

"I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable".

"No, you haven’t. It’s just that I try to maintain everything under control because since my parents died I feel I feel like I'm stumbling I this world, but you have read my like an opened book".

"If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t work here".

"You are amazing".

Reid put his hair behind his ear, looking down, which made her smile. Allison got comfortable on her side of the couch, covering with the blanket to her chin. Reid realized her back was exposed and he pulled the blanket to cover her completely.

"Thank you" she mumbled closing her eyes.

"Try to rest".

"And you?".

"Don’t worry about me".

"But I do" she pressed her face against the pillow sighing "dark circles don’t suit you under those beautiful hazel eyes that you have".

Even though her voice was muffled by the pillow, he understood her. His cheeks turned red and he swallowed, covering himself with his blanket as he leaned toward his side of the couch.


	5. Chapter 5

"Spencer, Spencer" J.J. shook softly her friend that had fallen asleep next to Allison.

He opened one eye and looked at her.

"What happens?".

"Penelope has found the last residence of the subject, do you want to come or do you want to stay with her? We are just going to investigate, he no longer lives there".

Reid sat up and looked at a sleeping Allison.

"Garcia can stay with her… Let’s go" said standing up from the couch and looking once more at Allison before leaving the room.

What they didn’t know was that Allison was awake and had listened to them. She knew she shouldn’t, that it would be salt to the wounds, but she needed to know more about him. About his abuser, about Kevin's killer and 7 other innocent girls. She raised her head to see through the window as they disappeared down the stairs and slid silently to the door.

Allison wasn’t proud of it, but she knew how to sneak away and be silent due to two rebellious years of her adolescence in which stealing, always unimportant things, gave her adrenaline. Therefore, getting into the back of the car where Reid and Morgan were was not complicated at all.

It was dawning during the journey from the unit to the house. It was secluded, surrounded by forest, with a large garden, which was not surprising. Suddenly Morgan's phone started ringing and he put it on the speakerphone.

"Tell me baby girl".

"Are you with Reid?".

"Yes, I am here" the doctor answered.

"Don’t freak out but your little literature’s lover is not here".

"What do you mean she’s not there!?".

"I can’t find her".

Morgan stopped the car in front of the car so Allison decided to discover herself before Reid had a heart attack.

"Don’t get mad…".

Both agents screamed and turned to see her there. Morgan hung up the phone telling Penelope he would tell her later.

"What are you doing here!?" Reid exclaimed, clearly angry.

"Yesterday night you said that my emotions control me and I need to know more about him".

"Why?"

"Call it closure".

"Allison" Morgan spoke "I know you want to find answered to why you are a victim. I’m sorry to say that you got in the way of a psychopath. You didn’t do anything to deserve the horror you’ve been through".

"I know but I want…".

"You want to know why he did it" the doctor ended her sentence "you need to know why he kills, like the characters of the books".

The girl nodded. The three of them were startled when Hotch knocked on the window in Morgan’s side, who opened the door.

"What are you doing here, miss Monroe?".

She opened her door and took a deep breath before getting out of the car.

"I’m sorry, sir, it was an impulse".

"Don’t make me lock you in a cell. You can’t intervene in the investigation".

"If I hadn’t intervene in the house, you wouldn’t have a name".

Hotch didn’t expect her to answer him that way.

"Hotch" Rossi appeared at his side "she’s the only survivor, she can help us".

"I will be the one to decide that and she can’t sneak in a federal car".

"Let me help and I will be good" she quickly said.

Hotch looked at her and, after thinking for a few seconds, sighed.

"Alright, let’s go".

Morgan and Reid also got out of the car but the doctor took Allison’s arm, stopping her from going inside the house.

"Give us a minute".

The rest of the unit went to the house while Reid and Allison stayed next to the car.

"I’m going to sit" she said opening the back door with her legs out of the car "because you are going to scold me, right?".

"Did you listen to me yesterday night when we talked?".

"Of course I did, I like listening to you, but you don’t have to feel responsible of me. You saved my life, yes, but now let me help you".

"It’s not a favor you have to give back".

"You don’t understand…" she said sighing and looking away.

"No, it’s you who don’t understand. This is really dangerous and you are the target Allison. I didn’t save your life for you to be so reckless now".

She looked up but it was not the doctor's angry look that caught her attention, but a flash behind him. She narrowed her eyes so she could focus better and then she saw it. A figure with something silver in the hand, pointing towards them.

"Spencer!".

It was only a few seconds, almost imperceptible to anyone but Allison jumped from the car and pushed the agent with all her strength to the side, hearing a shot. From the ground, Reid looked up scared to see how the girl fell at his side. At that moment he heard the rest of the unit leave the house.

"Allison…" he called turning her on the ground.

When he did, he saw how her t-shirt was soaked in blood under her thorax in the right side.

"No… ¡NO!" he kneeled next to her and pressed the wound "don’t do this to me, please… Hold on!".

Hotch and Rossi got them and while the rest went to ran behind the suspect.

"Allison, stay with me".

He heard Hotch calling for an ambulance with urgency while Rossi pressed Allison’s wound too.

"Come on little one" Rossi mumbled.

"It’s okay…" she said with little voice.

"No, you can’t give up, you hear me? I told you, you are incredibly stubborn, then show it to me!".

She smiled slightly but her eyes started to close.

"Don’t you dare to sleep" Reid put away his hands while Rossi pressed, he took her face carefully, staining her cheeks with her own blood "look at me, open your eyes please! You can’t do this me after all we’ve been through".

But Allison didn’t open her eyes. However he heard the ambulance going up the road, parking next to him moments later. The doctors took Rossi's place to press on the wound. After mounting her on the stretcher, they were ready to put her in the ambulance, Reid didn’t hesitate to follow them.

"You can’t go in the ambulance with them" said Hotch taking his arm to stop him "we’ll go in the car, come on".

He ordered Rossi to stay for Morgan, Prentiss and J.J.

Hotch was driving quickly behind the ambulance while Reid kept moving in his seat. He felt a big lump in his throat, remembering how she had pushed him and all the blood.

"She has saved my life" he whispered starting to breathe faster.

"What?".

"That shot was for me, directed to my heart from the back but she pushed me jumping from the car…" then Reid realized something "the shot was for me… She didn’t want to kill her but me. He killed Kevin and he wanted to do the same with me, he wants to punish those who protect her to torment her".

They arrived at the hospital and they were forced to sit and wait while Allison was being operated to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding. From there Hotch was in charge of informing the rest of the unit while Reid did not stop walking around in the waiting room.

Hotch finally sat next to him and sighed.

"Reid, she’s strong".

"They’ve been an hour there Hotch, something’s not right".

The man stared at the young man, he knew that girl and Reid had formed a special bond. If Allison died, his partner would receive a big blow. That's why they avoided getting emotionally involved with the victims, for that reason agent Gideon had left the unit a year ago. But feeling and creating links with others is what makes us human at the end.

A doctor stepped into the room calling their attention.

"Allison Monroe?".

The young agent almost jumped from his seat and ran to the doctor.

"Is she okay?".

"Luckily we’ve been able to remove the bullet and stabilized her. We lost her once in the table because of the blood loss but she’s a fighter" Reid swallowed and nodded "you can see her in half an hour".

"Thank you".

Hotch, who was behind his partner, put his hand on Reid’s shoulder squeezing it.

"I’m going to go back and inform everyone".

Reid turned to look at him.

"I haven’t asked, have they caught him?":

The boss sighed and shook his head.

"I’m afraid they haven’t, that’s why we have to speak about what to do with Allison now".

"What do you mean?".

"The suspect is killing those who protect her, he’s angry. If we make Allison disappear, he won’t have a motive to kill her protectors. He will look for another victims".

"You…" he squinted his eyes "you want to put her in witness protection".

"I think it would be the most convenient".

Be in witness protection didn’t just mean disappear to the government but cut all ties with your past.

"Reid" Hotch spoke up again "it’s the best".

"I understand… Can I stay with her?".

"Of course, but don’t tell her anything. I have to talk with national security first".

Reid nodded and sighed, not wanting to think about what was to come.


	6. Chapter 6

The young agent sat next to the bed where Allison still slept sedated. He couldn’t help thinking about the first time he visited her in the hospital. Despite all the bruises and injuries she had suffered and that she was terrified, she didn’t seem so fragile as that moment. She was pale, it seemed that at any moment her monitor would stop beeping and would not wake up. That's why Reid could hardly fall asleep that night.  
He was reading, or at least trying to, when Allison opened her eyes a little dazed. It was hard to focus, but once she did, she smiled slightly, opening her mouth to say hoarsely:

"What did I tell you about having dark circles under those wonderful eyes?".

Immediately he pushed away his book and approached his chair to be next to the bed "hi, how are you feeling?":

"Drugged…" she laughed "what has happened?"

"Don’t you remember?" she cleared her throat before speaking again, wincing and holding her hand to the wound, but Reid was quicker and took her hand, preventing her from touching it "no, don’t".

She nodded and he pulled away his hand and also pulled away a strand of her hair from her face carefully.

"I saw the gun, it shone behind you, and I jumped from the car, pushing you. And I felt a horrible pain before falling to the floor. I know you pressed the wound, and Rossi too" she swallowed "but I don’t remember anything else".

"The ambulance arrived after you lost your conscience and brought you here. I couldn’t go in the ambulance with you so I came with Hotch. We waited an hour until the doctor told us everything had gone well but…" he sighed looking down.

"What?" she asked scared.

"You… Died once in the operation’s table Allison" he looked up, his eyes reflecting the horror he went through "you shouldn’t have received that shot".

The woman smiled and looked at her hand to leave her fingers on his temple softly "I couldn’t let the world to lose this wonderful mind you have".

Reid gasped and put his hand on hers, pressing it against his cheek. It was the first physical contact that meant affection between them, which surprised her because she had observed that the agent was reluctant to physical contact.

"I’m fine, don’t worry" she whispered.

"You lost a lot of blood…".

She moved her thumb under his hand, caressing his cheekbone.

"I’m sorry for having scared you".

The doctor sighed and pushed away her hand from his cheek though he didn’t drop it and left both on the bed.

"You should rest, you seem tired" she suggested.

"We can stand 11 days without sleeping and it’s needed 36 hours to start to notice the fatigue, 48 for our capacity of perception to start fail so don’t worry because I’ve slept three hours".

"But to truly rest we need 8 hours".

"Then I still have 33 hours to start feeling tired".

Allison shook her head laughing slightly and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you for staying with me".

He smiled at her and she looked at the bag he always had with him.

"What were you reading?".

"The Never Ending Story by…".

"…Michael Ende" she interrupted smiling "it was my favorite film when I was a child. Well that’s a lie, it was the second one, Peter Pan always fascinated me".

"Have you read the book?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, but I wouldn’t mind if you read it to me".

Reid laughed and got up to take the book, then settled back in the chair and cleared his voice. He read aloud to her until she went back to sleep. Then he called Hotch to tell him what had happened. Once he had hung up, he took her hand again and caressed her fingers and the back of her hand with his thumb thinking about what would happen from then on.

He had promised that he would be there when it was all over, that he would be the person to lean on when her strength faltered, but he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise. And he was going to miss her a lot. He wouldn’t recognize it out loud but he knew that he cared for that girl more than just concern for an innocent victim. He got to really know her; know her fears and concerns; know that she had two types of laughter; that she bit her lower lip when she concentrated or was attentive; and bit her superior lip when she tried to control herself... He had become too involved, and it wouldn’t have been a problem if he could keep seeing her, have long conversations, and enjoy coffee with a lot of sugar. Reid would be lying if he denied that he hadn’t already thought about the books to lend her or documentaries to see, but now he would have to forget about all that. He would have to forget about her.

The next day Morgan and Garcia dropped by the hospital to see how Allison evolved and that gave Reid the opportunity to go home to shower and rest a bit, as he had refused to leave the hospital despite the fact that even Allison had asked for it.

"How are you honey?" Penelope asked sitting at the edge of the bed next to Allison.

"I’m fine, the stitches bother me a bit but I’m fine".

"I’m not sure if what you did was brave or reckless" Morgan commented from his chair "but you saved Reid and we would never forget that, none of us".

"Talking about the doctor" intervened Penelope smiling "he hadn’t moved from your side since yesterday and it will be hard for him to return back to work".

"He feels responsible of me" Allison shrugged "I guess it’s because he found me in that garden. And I love to talk to him, he’s so intelligent… He has such a wonderful mind".

Morgan smiled at Penelope who laughed before saying "you like our boy genius".

"Of course I like him, he’s really great".

"No, I mean fancy. And you have chemistry".

Allison’s cheeks turned red making both agents to laugh.

"Baby girl, leave the poor girl alone".

"What? They would be so cute together".

"And I agree with that but she doesn’t need us to stress her, her heart beat has picked up".

It was true. The pulse heart monitor that was connected do her had increased its speed. Morgan and Garcia were with her a little longer, without mentioning the relationship between Reid and her.

That same evening, almost night, Hotch Rossi showed up at the hospital where Reid was again.

"How do you feel little one?" Rossi asked with a kind smile.

"Great, better than what I thought I’d be, thank you".

"Doctors say you heal fast" Hotch commented sitting next to Rossi.

"Great for me" she said with a small smile.

Reid went to the other side of the room and leaned on the wall crossing his arms and looking down because he knew why Hotch and Rossi where there.

"Allison" spoke Hotch again "we couldn’t catch your aggressor, but we are not going to stop until we have him. Until then, we’ve debated about how to protect you and those who are close to you".

"Close to me?".

"He want to torment you" Rossi explained "he’s furious for not killing you so he’s killing those who are helping you. First it was Kevin and then Reid, but you saved him".

"That means that he will try to kill Doctor Reid again? Or anyone of you?".

"Exactly, that’s why we think it would be convenient for you to disappear, that will make him to change his target to another victim".

"But… How I’m going to disappear?".

"You will get into witness protection" Hotch intervened "we will announce your death, like you didn’t survive the shot. It’s all ready and you will be send to another state".

"Where?".

"That’s an information we aren’t allowed to know. You’ll change your identity, you will have to change your physical appearence and none of us will know where you are or who you are".

Allison turned her head to look at Reid but he couldn’t look at her, he had his eyes on the floor "may I…" she looked back at the other two agents "may I, at least, choose my name? I’m going to lose my identity and I want to conserve something that I could consider mine".

"Of course" Rossi said.

"Thank you" she said in a whisper and looked at her hands, swallowing hard.

"Allison" Hotch spoke up "I know this is hard but it’s the best to guarantee your security".

"No, I understand" she wiped out a tear that had rolled down her face "I will enter in witness protection after I’m discharged?".

"Yes, in three days".

"Alright…".

Both men stood up and looked at the youngest one.

"We have to go to Pennsylvania" Hotch informed him "and we need you to come with us".

"But you said I could stay with her".

"Yes, that night but we need you to come back".

"Don’t worry about me" Allison spoke up making Reid to look at her "I’m fine and they need you".

The doctor but his lip and looked at his friends.

"Alright but give me a minute, please".

"Sure" Rossi answered and looked at the girl "we’ll come back in time to say goodbye, don’t worry".

She tried to smile, but it was forced and the three of them realized. Hotch and Rossi left and Reid went to the end of the bed "they didn’t let me tell you sooner".

"How long have you know?".

"Hotch told me he had thought about it when you survived to the shoot".

She looked at her lap, playing with a bracelet of braided leather she had since she found it with 10 years old in the park.

"I wish this would be different, really" he mumbled.

"I know" she looked up at him with sadness "I guess our lectures are cancelled. Although you could give me a list of your favorite books, I would love to read them".

"Sure".

Reid approached her and sat in front of her on the bed "I know I promised you to be there when this was over, that you could come to me if you couldn’t cope with everything but now I can answer your question, yes, you can bear it all. But I don’t want you to put up with it, I want you to overcome it and I know you can do it because I’ve never met someone like you".

"Like me?" she asked with a small smile thought her eyes were filled with tears.

"An innate fighter" he replied with a smile.

She took a deep breath and looked away.

"They are waiting for you…".

"I will come back before you go".

Allison nodded without looking at him.

"Have a good fly".

She felt as the young agent got up from the bed and left the room quietly, but he could see through the window how she covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders trembled, indicating that she had burst into tears.

Once the three of them were on the plane, the rest noticed immediately that the youngest of the unit was distracted and sad, it was not necessary to ask why. J.J sat next to him.

"Allison will be fine, Spence. Hotch has made sure that she will have anything she needs".

"I’m not worried about her, I know she will be fine but… I had planned things with her".

"I’m really sorry…".

"Me too".


	7. Chapter 7

The third day after leaving, the whole unit went to the hospital where Allison were going to be discharged. They waited out of the room because there were agents of national security with the young woman. When they ended, they permitted the unit a few minutes to say goodbye.

Hotch and Rossi stepped into the room first, then Morgan, Prentiss, J.J. and Garcia all went inside because they knew Reid would want to say goodbye just the two of them and they didn’t have that much time.

Morgan clapped Reid’s back before the doctor stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Allison smiled seeing him, a big cheerful smile. She was sitting at the end of the bed, her legs hanging on the right side of the bed.

"How it was the case?" she asked.

Reid approached with a small smile until being in front of her.

"We saved a child, 7 years old".

"That’s amazing".

They stayed in silence, just staring at the other until she took off her bracelet of braided leather.

"Give me your hand".

He frowned but extended his hand so she fastened it around his wrist.

"You see too much horror in your work. You said that you had lost innocents but you shouldn’t forget that you also save lots of lives. Like mine. I would like that when your work gets hard, you look at this bracelet and think about the good you do in this world".

Reid stared at his wrist a few seconds before smiling shyly.

"Thank you very much… I have the list you asked me for".

He took three folded papers and gave them to her. She unfolded them and looked at the titles quickly before folding the again, saving them in her pocket.

"This is gold for me, thank you".

They stared at each other until he laughed and looked down.

"I know a lot of things, I could talk without stopping for hours but I don’t know how to face this, how to say goodbye. I guess that I don’t want to do it because when I do, it will come true that you are going and I won’t see you again. And I want to share more things with you and see how you achieve your dreams- he looked up to see that Allison was smiling but a few tears were rolling down her cheeks -you say that my mind is wonderful but you don’t realize how incredible you are".

Allison couldn’t control herself and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in and hiding her face on his neck.   
She noted how Reid hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning his face on her temple.

"I’m going to miss you" she mumbled on his neck making him squeezed her softly.

"Me too".

She pulled away a bit, just to be face to face, and pulled away his hair from his eyes. Smiling and putting her hand on his cheek she said:

"Take care doctor Reid, the world needs you".

The agent laughed looking away but when he looked at her again, they both felt something different, a pressure on their chests that they hadn’t felt before. The dark eyes of her went to his lips and he, involuntary, licked them. She looked up at his eyes again and started to get her face closer to him but he was paralyzed. Allison closed her eyes just before pressing her lips to his softly and she felt how Reid’s hands squeezed her waist. The girl pulled away her lips just a few millimeters, breathing hard because of the adrenaline but she didn’t have time to do anything when Reid kissed her back. One of his hands went up her back until leave it on her nape, getting her even closer. Allison felt it and kissed him without holding herself back, letting her lips make him know what she couldn’t express with words.

They pulled away because of lack of air, both breathing hard and feeling their beatings on their ears. Allison pressed her lips together trying to control herself and slipped her hands down Reid’s chest slowly, looking down at the same time until her hands ended on her lap. He put his hands on her shoulders and caressed her skin with his thumbs. Allison closed her eyes and whispered:

"Goodbye Spencer".

The doctor sighed and mumbled:

"Take care Allison".

Reid pulled away from her and left the room without looking back, he didn’t even stopped when his friends tried to talk to him. He kept walking until he was out of the hospital and took a deep breath, letting his emotions come out in form of tears.

Just when he realized how much Allison meant to him and that she felt the same, she slipped through his fingers and in a few years she could turn in a diffuse figure between reality and imagination. But the bracelet that rested on his wrist would remind him that someone fell in love with his ‘wonderful mind’.


End file.
